In the Footsteps of the Vikings, exploring the sea, ourselves, each other and the world Young people (aged 15 to 28) from eventually 6 different countries: UK, Ireland, France, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands, have set the sail from Belfast (UK) to Alesund (NO), starting July 3rd and arriving at July 17th 2015. They have learned to challenge themselves and to depend on themselves. They have crossed many personal and cultural boundaries, all whilst physically actives. Regardless of their capabilities and sailing experienced, they participated in the sail training program on board and thus have additionally also learned a lot about sailing the two masted vessel Morgenster. The 36 participants were all young people eager to learn and ready to broaden their horizons. All aged 15-28 years old, equally mixed in gender, as much as possible in age and in backgrounds. Specifically were amongst them two blind participants and twenty others with financial, social or geographical obstacles. The main objective was to explore in the broadest sense. The participants have explored each other’s cultures, values and habits and discussed these with each other. They have also explored new values, new attitudes, and personal boundaries (and crossed them). We have been looking at the differences and similarities in the development of our countries and we have looked into the (maritime) history of the nationalities involved. We also discussed current European and global developments and questioned our personal role in sustaining the freedom we have and in creating it for those who have not. On board the participants coming from different countries soon realized that although their cultures differ, it certainly is possible to listen and respect each other. The participants have learned to apply the differences and similarities between them to work better as a team. We have not only talked about cultural differences, but also experienced them in daily, real-life tasks. To keep the ship sailing and actually get somewhere, we all had to work together, trust each other and when the weather got rough, take care of each other. We lived, worked, slept and eat together, in the small spaces the ships offers. We have seen how other individuals (from other backgrounds and cultures) deal with things like snoring cabin-mates and seasickness, duties and physical limits. The exchange program combined sail training with, among other things, discussions, games and presentations. All the activities enhanced cultural learning, and for example made participants come to the realization how special Europe is and how privileged we are to live in a free democracy. During country presentations we taught each other a thing or two about our nations that the group did not know yet, and we spend quite some time looking in to prejudices about countries and cultures. This way we all became aware of how much we actually judge other countries, while actually knowing very little about the cultures. The Sail Training Program was more than just a sail training instruction. Sail Training is a renowned outdoor activity that challenges participants both physically and emotionally. It again proved itself by teaching this group of participants a lot about themselves. Being at sea was merely a mean to this end of personal development, the discovery of hidden strengths and talents and the value of teamwork. Sail Training inspires self-confidence and the acceptance of personal responsibility. It promotes an acceptance of others whatever their social and cultural background, and develops a willingness to take controlled risks. It does all this by making the participants a vital and active part of the crew on board the ship, which means participants were given real, important tasks such as sail handling, navigation, steering and lookout. But also cooking and cleaning. The combination of this sail training program and the varied day-to-day program of intercultural learning activities has engaged the participants in a strong learning and also very enjoyable experience. They have gained a lot of new competences, discovered their strengths and talents and have made many new international friends. Once back home, they have spread the word about the value of international projects like these and are very likely to inspire others to engages in a similar project. The partner organizations report that the participants have shown an increased interest in staying active within the organizations, and other stake holders have as well been very positive about the project. As such, the project has not only impacted the participants, but also their own networks and the ones of their partner organizations.